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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

J. E. HELME;

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

'No. 375,156. Patented Dec.20,-1887.

WFLWEEEEL fimdwy @ZWW- (No Model.) 4 Sheets'-Shet .3.

' J. E. HELME.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MAGHINB. No. 375,156. Patented Dec. 20, 1887.

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J. E. H ELME. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 20, 1887.

WILIIEESES lr ver tul Wwaxa- MM 7 UNITED STATES JEREMIAH E. HELME, OF LOWELL,

PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE A. BYAM, OF GHELMSFORD, AND LARKIN .T. TRULL, OF LOXVELL, MASSA- orIUsnTTs CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,156. dated December 20, 1887.

Application filed January 20, 1886. Serial No. 189,159.

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH E. HELME,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Knitting-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to lmitting-machines of the class known as circular spriugneedle knitting machine, and has aspecial reference to devices which,when used in connection with the usual parts of such a machine, knit one or more courses of one color,and then one or more courses of another color, the changes being made from one color to the other automatically by severing the yarn of one color and introducing ayarn of another color.

The object of my invention is to simplify the striping mechanism and to render it less liable to get out of order, to make it less liable to leave holes at the places where the change is made from the yarn of one color to the yarn of the other color, to improve the construction and arrangement of the yarn cutting or sever ing devices and means for holding the end of the yarn after it is cut, to so operate such yarn severing and holding devices as that the yarn shallbe out before it is grasped by the means for holding the same, thus avoiding the putting of undue strain on the yarn thrown out of operation and the objections consequent thereon and the cutting and holding ofthe yarn thrown out of operation until the proper ently of the pattern devices and directly by the rotation of the cylinder or head; also, to enable the yarn after being out, while not being introduced into the fabric, to be held by the knife without the use of any special holding devices.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a circular spring-needle knitting machine, the bed on which it rests, its driving-shaft and pulley, and my improvements applied thereto,a part of the bed being broken out; Fig. 2,a vertical section in the plane of the axis of the driving-shaft, all the knitting wheels, except the pattern-wheel,being omittime comes for introduciugit again independ- (No model.)

ted to avoid confusion, the driving-shaft, the driving-pulley, the vertical stud about which the needlecylinder revolves, and the beveled gear on said main shaft being in elevation, and beveled gear which engages with said lastnamed beveled gear being partly in elevation; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the bed,the cylinder, the cutting and holding device,the finger which carries the yarn down to the cutting device, the lever which operates said finger,the spring which retracts the knife, and the lever which throws it forward to open the cutting device, and the cam which operates the finger-actuating lever, a cross-section of the cam which actuates the pattern-wheel, andacrosssection of the cam which raises the sliding block on the knife-lever, said section being on the line a; w in Fig. 4; Fig. 4, an outside elevation of the pattern-wheel-actuating cam and of the cams which actuate the cutting and holding devices; Fig. 5, an elevation of the pattern-wheel, its ratchets, the loop-whee1, the dividing-wheel, the yarntrongh, the knifelever, the sliding block on said knife-lever, the lever which actuates said sliding block and the yarn-guides, said last-named lever being attached to one of said guides, and the stand which supports the parts named; Fig. 6, a section through the middle of a part of the pattern-wheel at right angles to its axis; Fig. 7, at the left, a section through a part of the pattern-wheel in the plane of its axis and at the right a similar section, on a larger scale, of the upper portion of both ratchet-s and the shield supported on one of said ratchets; Fig. 8, a side elevation of the knife-lever, its slidingblock, stop-pin, and pivot, showing the opposite side of said lever from that shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 9, a representation of a part of the pattern-wheel, the cam which operates the yarn-guides, the stud on which said cam turns, the spiral spring which surrounds said stud above said cam, the tension-collar abovesaid spring, the yarn-guides, and the lever attached to one of said yarnguides, the line of sight in Fig. 9 being in the plane of the pattern-wheel; Fig. 10, a side view of the cutting and holding devices anda part of the stud-stand of the dividing-wheel and the yarn-carrying finger, the lower part of the knifelever being broken away; Fig. 11, a view at right angles to that shown in Fig. 10 of a part of said stud-stand, the stud supported thereon, a part of the same being in section on the line 3/ y in Fig. 10 to show the means of taking up the wear of the sliding .part of the cutting device, showing also the pad against which the yarn is held after being cut, the line of sight in Figs. 10 and 11. being upward at an angle of about forty-five degrees; Fig. 12, a view at right angles to that shown in Fig. 10 of a part of the stud stand of the dividing-wheel, showing the top of thethreadholder, the cutting-knife, and the pad and the screw which limits the motion of the holder; Fig. 18, a vertical longitudinal section through the pawl-carrier and its supporting-rod; Fig. 14, an oblique view of the hubs and cams of the yarn-guides and a part of the lever-cam; Fig. 15, a rear elevation of the upper part of the bed, a part of the cylinder, and a rear elevation of the stationary guide; Fig. 16, a side elevation of the stationary guide and a cross section ofa part of the needle-cylinder; Fig. 17, an isometric view of the cam which operates the lever which opens the shears; Fig. 18, an elevation of the sliding block and its upward proj ectionandsupportin g lever, the stand which supports said lever, the yarn-guides, and the inclined stud on which they turn.

The bed A, the driving-shaft A, the driving pulley A the needle cylinder 13, the spring-needles b, the stationary vertical stud B, around which the needle-cyllnder revolves, the bevel-gear Bflsecured to said needle-cylinder in any usual manner and engaging with a bevel-gear, A", on the drivingshaft, thepushback I), the loop-wheel E and its stand 6, the dividing-wheel F and its stand f, the presserwheel G and its stand 9, the landing-wheel H and knocking-over wheel I, and the central holding'plate l, which holds the cylinder down in place and supports on suitable brackets, h i, the landing-wheel and knocking-over wheel. All these are of the usual construction and operation, except as hereinafter specified.

The pattern-wheel K consists of a disk provided with an annular groove, 7:, in its periphcry and turns upon a stud, k, inclined forward at an angle of about thirty degrees from the perpendicular. Concentric with the pattern-wheel is a ratchet, L, which is prevented from moving backward bya retaining springpawl, Z, and is adjustably secured to said pattern-wheel by-screws Z, which pass through arc-shaped slots 75 in said pattern-wheel into said ratchet, said slots being described about the center of said pattern-wheel.

The object of making the ratchet adjustable on the pattern-wheel is to enable two patternwheels or more to beadjusted to each other in the same knitting-machine,in order that the changes of the colors caused by each patternwheel may take place at the same needle.

Belowthepattern-wheelisahorizontalrod, M, which slidesinbea-rings'k on the stand 7c*,which between which and the bottom of said hole said spring is compressed. The rod m is beveled off on its upper end to slip easily over the teeth of the ratchet L in one direction and to engage with said teeth when moved in the other direction. The rod m is prevented from springing out of the pawl-carrier by a stud, m", driven through a slot, m in said pawlcarrier into said rod, said stud preventing the rod from turning on its axis. The end of the sliding rod M nearest the needle-cylinder is provided with a hook, m, which hook engages with a groove formed in a cam-plate,- N, secured on the top of the base of the cylinder. The ends of the cam-grooven in said cam-plate N are at equal distances from the center of the needle-cylinder, so that the hook which engages said canrgroove on leaving said groove is left in a suitable position to enter the other end of said groove when the cylinder revolves.

Each tooth of the ratchet-wheel L corresponds to a single course or to one revolution of the needle-cylinder-that is, the ratchet is moved one tooth at each revolution of said cylinder-and the object of the ratchet and pattern wheel is, by means hereinafter to be explained, to substitute a yarn of one color for a yarn of another color. W'ipers k it are inserted in the groove 70 of the pattern-wheel K, being held therein by set-screws k which turn in threaded holes parallel with the axis of said pattern-wheel and entering said groove 70 thrust against said wipers. The wipers projeet radially from said pattern'wheel and are of the same angular width (see 76') as one of said ratchetteeth or as a number of such teeth. (See 70".)

On another inclined stud, 0, turns a levercam, O, the left end, 0, of which is adapted to be struck by the wipers of the pattern-wheel when said pattern-wheel is revolved, and the right end, 0, of which is wedge-shaped. The lever-cam O is rocked on the stud 0 when struck by the wipers, and is restored to its former position alter the wiper has passed it by a spiral wire spring, 0 which surrounds the stud 0 above said lever'cani, the lower or rear end of said spring being secured to said lever-cam O and the front or upper end of said spring being secured to an adjustable collar, 0, which may be turned on the upper end of said stud Oto increase or diminish the tension of said spring, said collar o being held, when adjusted, by the set-screw oflwhich turns in said collar and thrusts against said stud, the spring being wound in such a way as to throw the left end of said lever cam upward. The hub on the levercam is provided with two shoulders, 0 0, between which is placed a stop, 0, secured to the stand which supports the pattern-wheel, said stop limiting the motion of said lever-cam in both directions to keep the yarnguides in their proper relative positions. Ona stud, P, placed at about right angles to the stud 0, turn the yarnguides p 1). These yarn-guides have secured to their hubs p p downwardly-projecting cams 19 pflwhich overlap each other, as shown in Fig. 14,.and

which are beveled away from each other atp j These cams are separated by the wedge'shaped right end of the lever-cam 0 when the left end of said lever-cam is struck by one of the wipers to shift the position of the yarns with reference to the loop-wheel E, said hubs having secured to them, respectively, projecting arms p p, to which are attached spiral springs 12 19 the other ends of saids springs being secured, as shown, to any convenient part of the frame of the machine.

The guide 1) is normally held higher than the guide 19 and directs its yarn upon the loop-wheel above the nibs q of said loop-wheel, while the other yarn-guide,p',' holds its yarn in the yarn-trough q below said loop-wheel, and the effect of the wipers on the pattern-wheel striking the lever-cam is, as above explained, to reverse the relative positions of the yarns, raising one yarn out of the yarn-trough onto the loop-wheel and carrying the thread previously on the loop-wheel down into the yarn trough, so that when yarns of different colors are used the color of the fabric is changed by the shifting of the yarn-guides, only that color appearing in the fabric at any time which belongs to the yarn at that time passing over the loop-wheel.

The yarn-trough q is provided with a bent arm, q, by means of which it is supported on the stand 6 of the loop-wheel.

To prevent making holes in the fabric at the point where the color is changed, it is necessary that a few stitches should be made in the yarn to which the change is made before the other yarn is cut. This object is accomplished by the shape of the right end, 0, of the lever,- cam O and the shape of the cams 1f 19". The right end, 0, of the lever cam is wedge-shaped in crosssection; but the sides of the wedge are not straight, but curved to give a blunt point to the wedge, which, as it first enters between the cams p p, separates them quickly and moves the yarn-guides rapidly for a distance. The faces of the earns 11" p are nearly parallel with the axis of the hubs, to which they are attached for a short distance from the lower ends of said cams, so that after the wedge 0 has passed entirely between said cams its effect in separating said cams is very gradual, and at this time the change is being made from one yarn to the other and both yarns are being knit into the fabric. Immediately, however, the sides of the wedge 0 come intocontact with the upper parts of the faces of said cams, these upper parts being at a greater angle with'the axis of the stud P than the lower parts of said cams, so that the yarn-guides are then moved rapidly.

'lVhen the change is made from one yarn to the other at the loop-wheel by the above-described movement of the yarn-guides, it is necessary that the yarn thrown out of the loopwheel should not reach the dividing-wheel and the wheels beyond it. The yarn which runs through the yarn-trough is therefore severed just beyond said yarn-trough and held in a position to be again introduced into the fabric when the yarnguides are restored to their normal position.

The holding and cutting devices are supported'upon the stud-standf of the dividingwheel F, and so also is the yarn'carryingfinger f, which carries the yarn downward to the knife. The cutting device consists of a stationary knife, f, secured on said stand f, and a sliding yarn-holder,j which in sliding by said knife acts in connection therewith substantially like a pair of shears, into which the yarn is pushed by the front end of the yarncarrying tingcrf pivoted upon the top ofsaid standf, said front end being normally raised by the pressure of a spring, f upon its rear end, and being thrown downward by the bent levcrf", pivotcdupon said stand. The upper front end of said last-named lever bears against the under side of the rear end of said yarncarrying finger, as best shown in Fig. 3, and the lower end of said bent lever is raised by the cam N running under it once in every revolution of the needle-cylinder. The yarn is prevented from dropping below the stationary knifef by the restf,which projects from the lower part of the edge of said stationary knife and has a horizontal upper surface, as shown in Fig. 10, and the yarn to be cut is carried down to the rest f by the finger f, in order that the yarn, after being cut, may be held always at the same height, and thereby carried onto the same part of the loop-wheel, when the yarnguides are again shifted in or der that the joining or overlapping of the yarns at the place where the change is made in the fabric may always be of the same length.

The means of supporting the sliding yarnholder and knifef isshown in Figs.10 and 11. Two screws, f f, the flat under sides of the heads ff" of which restagainstthefront side ofsaid knifef enter the stand f, to hold the horizontal partf of the shank of said knife in a groove in said stand, said horizontal shank being pressed against the head of the screw f nearest the needle-cylinder by a spiral spring, f (shown in Fig. 11,) inserted ina hole,f", drilled in said standf, and thrusting a small block, f, which slides in said hole, against the rear face of said shank. XVhen the knife)" is worn by sliding on the knifef, it may be set up againstsaid last-named knife by turning up the screwsf f The motion of the holder and knifef" toward the needlecylinder is limited by a stop-screw,f which turns in a rib, f on the stand f, toward the upwardly-projecti ng rear part,f of the shank of said holder and knifef said stop-screw being adjusted to prevent the kuifef from striking the needles I). The stationary knife f is held rigidly on the standf by a screw, f", which passes through said knife into said stand, and by a steady-pin, f ,which projects from said knife and enters a hole in said stand.

The pad-holder consists of a piece of sheet metal, F, having the end nearest the needlecylinder bent forward parallel with the cutting edge of the knife f, the pad F being a piece of leather, felt, or similar material slotted to receive the bent end of the pad-holder F and retained thereon by friction. The pad-holder is adjusted to position by means of an adjusting-screw, f turning in said rib f and thrusting against the outer end of said padholder,which outer end is bent forward at right angles to the body of the pad-holder to receive the thrust of said last-named screw. The padholder, when adjusted with its front end near the edge of the cutting-knife f and parallel with said edge and farther from the needle cylinder than said edge, is rigidly held by a set screw, f, passing through a slot, f, in said pad-holder into the stand f, said padholder being prevented from rocking on said stand by studsf f which project from said pad-holder and rest upon the top of said stand.

The yarn-holder or movable knife f is pushed toward the needle-cylinder to admit a yarn between said last-named knife and the stationary knife f by the cam N striking against the side of a block, R, which slides up and down, as hereinafter explained, on the lower arm of a lever, B, pivoted at r in a stud,

'1", aro'ectin from the stand if said cam N l J c J7 pushing the lower end of said lever B outward or away from the needle-cylinder and causing the upper end of said lever R to press against the rear end of said knifef The knifef is drawn outward past the knife f by a spring, f", connected to said rear end and to a pin, f", projecting from said standf, cutting the yarn (placed between said knives by the yarn-carrying finger) and then holding the end of the yarn nearest the yarn-trough between said knife f and the pad F. The cams N N 2 are so arranged with reference to each other and to theleversf and R that the front end of the yarn-carrying finger is thrown down immediately upon the movement of the knifef toward the needle-cylinder.

It is to be particularly noticed that the pad, which constitutes one of the essential elements of the yarn-holding device, is located beyond or in the rear of the yarn severing or cutting device, so that the yarn must be completely severed before it can be grasped by the yarnholding device. This is an important feature of my invention,since it obviates the objections consequent upon grasping and holding the yarn before effecting the cutting or severing of the same. In my invention, the cutting of the yarn being accomplished before the end is grasped by the holding devices, no undue strain is put upon the strand thrown out of operation, no matter how rapidly the machine hole in the fabric, or of having the yarn broken by the landing or knocking-over wheel, or of meeting with other difficulties heretofore experienced from grasping and holding the yarn before the cutting operation takes place, is entirely obviated.

As the cams N N pass the lower ends of the levers f R once in every course, or once in every revolution of the needle-cylinder, some arrangement is necessary to prevent the opening of the yarn-holder 'f F until the desired number of courses have been knit from the yarn then running on the loop-Wheel. Accordingly the sliding block B, after passing the cam .L islifted by the cam N high enough to be out of reach of the cam N during the next revolution of the needle-cylinder, the upward motion of said block R on said lever R being limited by a stop pin, 1", which projects from the side of said lever R, the rear side, W, of said sliding block being made convex,in order that it may be held in either of its positions by the pressure of a spring, f supported on said stand f and pressing against said convex side above or below the greatest convexity thereof. Said sliding block R is provided with an upward projection, 1", which has an inward and outward inclination, r on the top of the same, and which, when the change is made from one color to the other, is struck by the projecting arm 11 of the yarn-guidep, so that when the yarnguides are shifted by the action of the pattern-wheel, as above described, the arm p is thrown inward or outward, as the case may be, over said incline and forces said block downward into a position to be struck by the cam N during the same revolution of the needle-cylinder.

A stationary guide, S, is secured to the bed of the machine, and consists of a strip or piece of metal, the upper edge of which is inclined upward in the direction of the rotation of the needlecylinder, the lower part of which edge is preferably arranged below the knockingover wheel, (although the guide may be placed at some distance from the knocking-over wheel,) and the upper part of which edge reaches over the tops of the needles, the object of this guide being to hold up the ends of the yarns and prevent them from being looped into the fabric, the fabric being knit inside out, and the intention being to make the loose ends of the yarn show only on the wrong side of the fabric.

The capacity of the pattern-wheel may be doubled or increased to any less amount by the use of the shicld,hereinafter described,with a supplementary ratchet, L, concentric with said pattern-wheel, and with the ratchet L, turning loosely on the stud k, which supports said pattern-wheel. The ratchets L L have an equal number of teeth and have independent pawls, the pawl at being precisely like the pawl m and supported in the pawl-carrier in the same manner and forced into engagement with the ratchet-teeth by similar means.

IIO

The stud 7r, on which the ratchet L turns, is provided with an annular collar, in front of the ratchet L, which keeps the two ratchets out of contact with each other and prevents the ratchet L from being turned by frictional contact with the ratchet L. A washer, L,of leather, cloth, or Similar material, surrounds the stud 7c in front of the ratchet L, and is pressed against the hub of said last-named ratchet by a metallic washer, F, and a nut, Z turns on the end of said stud, and compresses said washer L to prevent the ratchet L from umping or moving more than one tooth at a time.

A shield, L consisting of an are shaped strip of sheet metal and provided with a stem, L*, by means of which it is fastened to the ratchet L, and held over a part of the teeth of the ratchet L in such a manner that when said shield is carried by the revolution of the ratchets below the ratchet-wheels it prevents the pawl m from engaging with the teeth of the ratchet L until by the revolution of the ratchet L the shield is carried beyond the pawls, whereupon the pawl m will again come into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet L.

Any desired number of such shields may be used, and the shield may be arranged upon the ratchet L in such a manner as to disengage thejpawl m from the ratchet L at the time when the yarnguides are being held out of their normal position by a wiper, or at the time when the wipers are not in actual contact with the lever-cam O, with the effect of introducing a greater number of courses of the ground-color or a greater number of courses of the striping-color.

It will be seen that by varying the number of wipers in the pattern-wheel the color of the fabric may-be varied as often as desired-as, forinstance, by using a wiper for every other tooth of the ratchet-wheel the color of the fabric would change at each course; also, that the width of the horizontal stripe of either color will depend on the relative angular distance covered by the wipers to the angular distance in which no wipers are used; also, that the wipers are adjustable with reference to the other wipers on the same pattern-wheel to bring them to act on the yarn-guides at the same needles of the cylinder by loosening the screws which secure them in the groove of the pattern-wheel and sliding them in said groove.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a stationary knife, a movable knife adapted to pass by the cutting-edge of said stationary knife and to form with said stationary knife a pair of shears, and a pad located beyond or in rear of the shears and adapted to be pressed upon by said movable knife after the same has passed the edge of the stationary knife to hold a yarn previously cut by said shears, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of a stationary knife provided with a projecting yarn-rest, f, a

,,movable knife adapted to pass by the cuttingedge of said stationary knife and to form with said stationary knife a pair of shears, and a pad located beyond orin 'rear of the shears and adapted to be pressed upon by said movable knife after the same has passed the edge of the stationary knife to hold the yarn previously cut by said sh ears, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.-

3. The combination of a stationary knife, f, provided with the projecting yarn-restf, a movable knife adapted to pass by the cuttingedge of said stationary knife and to form with said stationary knife a pair of shears,and padholder F, provided with pad F said pad beinglocated beyond or in rear of the shearpoint of the knives and adapted to be pressed upon by said movable knife after the same has passed the edge of the stationary knife to hold theyarn previously cut by said knives, sub stantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

4. The combination ofa movable knife and a stationary knife provided with a rest to prevent a yarn placed between said knives from falling below the cutting-edge ofsaid station ary knife, and a yarn-carrying finger adapted to carry a yarn between said knives and onto said-rest, and a pad secured to said stationary knife parallel with the edge of the same, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination of the needle-cylinder, a cam-plate secured thereto, provided with a camslot, a rod sliding in suitable bearings and provided with a hook adapted to enter said cam-slot, a paw1-carrier secured to said rod and adapted to have a reciprocating horizontal motion when said needle-cylinder is revolved, a pattern-wheel, a suitable stud on which said pattern-wheel is supported and revolved, a ratchet secured to said pattern-wheel concentrically therewith, another ratchetwheel concentric with said pattern-wheel and turning on said stud independently of said pattern-wheel and first-named ratchet, independent pawls supported in said pawl-carrier, springs thrusting said pawls into engagement with said ratchets respectively, and a shield secured to said independent ratchet and over- IIO IIS

lapping one or more of the teeth of said secured ratchet, as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination of the needle-cylinder, the cam-plate secured thereto and provided with a camslot, a rod sliding in suitable bearings and provided with a book which enters said cam'slot and is given a reciprocating motion by the revolution of said needle-cylinder, a pawl-carrier secured to said rod, a pawl supported in said carrier, 3. pattern-wheel provided with wipers, a ratchet secured to said pattern-wheel concentrically therewith, a pivoted lever-cam, one end of which is adapted to be struck by said wipers as said pattern-wheel is revolved, the other endof which lever-cam is wedge-shaped in cross-section, yarn-guides provided with hubs and with cams having inclined edges which overlap each other, the

said cams being adapted to be pushed apart by the last-named end of said lever-cam to shift said yarn-guides, and springs to draw said cams toward each other, as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination of the shears, consisting of the stationary knife and the movable knife and a spring operating said movable knife to close said shears,with a knife-lever, the upper end of which bears against said movable knife, a block sliding on the lower arm of said lever, the needle-cylinder have a cam secured thereto, adapted to strike the face of said block nearest the needle-cylinder when said block is in its lowest position and said cylinder is revolved, another cam secured to said needlecylinder and caused by the revolution of said needle-cylinder to slide said block upward on the lower arm of said knife-lever to a position higher than said first-named cam, and means, substantially as described, for holding said block in its raised position, as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination of the shears, consisting of the stationary knife and the movable knife and a spring operating said movable knife to close said shears, a knife-lever, the upper arm of which bears against said movable knife, a block sliding on the lower arm of said knifelever, theneedle-cylinder, a cam secured thereto, adapted to strike the face of said block nearest said cylinder when said block is in its lower position and said cylinder is revolved, another cam secured to said needle-cylinder and adapted by the revolution thereof to slide said block upward above said first-named cam, said block having a convex side,and a spring pressing upon said convex side and adapted to hold said block in either of said positions by pressing said convex side above or below the greatest convexity thereof, as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination of the shears, the knifelever, the needle-cylinder, two cams secured to said needle-cylinder, a block adapted to slide on the lower arm of said knife-lever into a position to be struck by one of said cams to open said shears and to be raised by the other of said cams above said first-named cam, and having an upward projection inclined inwardly and outwardly on the top thereof, as described, yarn-guards provided with concentric hubs adapted to be turned upon an inclined stud which supports said guides to change their relative heights, said stud, and means for turning said hubs, one of said yarn-guides having secured to its hub a projecting arm adapted, when said guides are shifted in either direction, to strike upon the inclined top of the projection on said sliding block and to move the same into a position to be struck by one of the cams on said needle-cylinder, as and for the purpose specified.

10. The combination of the stationary knife, the stand to which the same is secured, said stand being provided with a groove, another knife having a shank placed within said groove andadapted to slide therein, screws turning in threaded holes in said stand, the under sides of the heads of said screws being flat and bearing upon said cam, said stand having a hole drilled therein at right angles to the plane of said movable knife and near the cutting-edge thereof,aspring placed in said hole, and a block sliding in said hole and pressed outward by said spring against said movable knife, as and for the purpose specified.

JEREMIAH E. HELME.

\Vi tnesses:

ALBERT M. Moonn, GERTRUDE M. DAY. 

